lure

American  

[loor] / lʊər /

noun

1. anything that attracts, entices, or allures.

   Synonyms:

   temptation

2. the power of attracting or enticing.

3. a decoy; live or especially artificial bait used in fishing or trapping.

4. Falconry. a feathered decoy for attracting a hawk, swung at the end of a long line and sometimes baited with raw meat.

5. a flap or tassel dangling from the dorsal fin of pediculate fishes, as the angler, that attracts prey to the mouth region.

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verb (used with object)

lures, present (3rd person singular) lured, past participle, past luring present participle

1. to attract, entice, or tempt; allure.

   Synonyms:

   seduce

   Antonyms:

   repel

2. to draw or recall (especially a falcon), as by a lure or decoy.

idioms

1. in lure, noting a pair of wings joined with the tips downward.

lure British  

/ lʊə /

verb

1. to tempt or attract by the promise of some type of reward

2. falconry to entice (a hawk or falcon) from the air to the falconer by a lure

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noun

1. a person or thing that lures

2. angling any of various types of brightly-coloured artificial spinning baits, usually consisting of a plastic or metal body mounted with hooks and trimmed with feathers, etc See jig plug spoon

3. falconry a feathered decoy to which small pieces of meat can be attached and which is equipped with a long thong

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• luringly
  adverb
• lurer
  noun
• lurement
  noun
• unlured
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has lured
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have lured
  perfect
• are luring
  progressive
• is luring
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been luring
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• luring
  participle
• lures
  singular 3rd person
• have been luring
  perfect progressive
• am luring
  progressive 1st person singular

Past

• had lured
  perfect
• were luring
  progressive plural
• was luring
  progressive singular
• had been luring
  perfect progressive
• lured
  participle
• lured
  simple

Future

• will lure
  simple
• will have lured
  perfect
• will have been luring
  perfect progressive
• will be luring
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of lure

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French luere ( French leurre ), from Frankish lothr- (unrecorded); cognate with Middle High German luoder, German Luder “bait”

Explanation

To lure is to entice or bait someone. A lure is used to bait or entice fish to attach themselves to your hook. "He had a new shiny lure, which was enough to lure me into going on the fishing trip." The verb lure is related to words that mean “bait,” “deceit,” and “invite.” Often, when lure is used, there is a nefarious implication, as in: “He was able to lure her into the alley, but her friends soon came looking for her.” The noun lure is the thing that draws in the person or animal, which can be either a physical object or a concept. "The lure of his great wealth kept her in the relationship despite his infidelity."

Example Sentences

Inside Lure, the now-shuttered hot spot offered a menu brimming with expensive drinks like a $70,000 Champagne bottle.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2024

How AI and the Lure of Efficiency Threaten Human Writing, she dives into the crux of the matter: If we hand over the written word to AI, what will we lose?

From Scientific American • Sep. 29, 2023

In later books like “Chiaroscuro: Essays on Identity” and “Their Other Side: Six American Women and the Lure of Italy,” Ms. Barolini returned to the subjects and themes that propelled “Umbertina.”

From New York Times • Apr. 20, 2023

Applebaum, a contributor to the Atlantic, recently published a book on eroding democratic norms called “Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism.”

From Washington Post • Aug. 10, 2022

Shall we blow sweet airs on it, Lure the magpie there to flit?

From Songs of Childhood by Hecht, Anthony